Means for and method of producing knitted fabrics



March, 2, 1937. T. H, JONES 9 3 MEANS FOR AND METHOD OF rnonucme KNITTED FABRICS I Filed May 8. 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 1'.

; THJoNEs IN ls/v 'rme Mqtch 2, 931. T. H. JONES 2,072,209

MEANS FOR AND METHOD OF PRODUCING KNITTED FABR ICS Filed May 8. 1935 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Arm: ways.

March 2, 1937. 1-. H. JONES 2,072,209

' MEANS FOR AND METHOD OF PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS Filed May a, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet s Arromlsys.

Patentecl' Mar. 2, 1937 v I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MEANS FOR AND METHOD OF PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS Thomas Henry Jones, Woodthorpe, England Application May 8, 1935, Serial No. 20,489

In Great Britain July'i, 1934 11 Claims. (01. 66-119) This invention comprises improvements in the sidiary hooks advantageously combine to form a means for and method of producing knitted fabsingle closed loop or eye. rics, the "expression knitted fabrics" including For the purpose of more fully describing the fabrics embodying knitted, crochet or similar innature of this invention, reference will now be termeshing stitches. The main object of this made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 5 invention is to provide a new type of knitting Figure 1 is a side elevatlonalview of the needle instrument by means of which the aforesaid according to one embodiment of this invention.

- stitches or variations thereof can be produced. Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the same I Broadly the present invention provides a knitinstrument. l0 ting instrument, for example a needle, compris- Figures 3 to 8 illustrate six successive steps in 10 ing a stem or shank having a hook which is the employment of the instrument for making a extended to form a second hook. The double knitted stitch.

hook may be shaped to form what is virtually a Figures 9 to 16 illustrate eight successive steps helix, said helix being flattened or elongated and in the employment of the needle in producing a I advantageously lying in approximately one plane locked or tied stitch.

r; if d s d. i a plu a ty f l s ly. disp s d Figure 1'? illustrate in side elevation a modiparallel planes. Preferably th'e helix of the hook fled construction of needle in accordance with is somewhat less than .one complete turn and thi inventio l ed n he dir tion of he l n f Figure 18 is a front view of the modified nee- 20 instrument, the major axis of the helix being perm pendicular to the line of the instrument; I Figures 19 t 21 Sh w three successive steps e e nat hook 0 e double 1100!! P in the production of an ordinary knitted stitch Hon-0r hel x 0f t e ins r me may be shaped to by the "use of the needle shown in Figures 1'7 and form a complete loop, the free end of which is 13 5 preferably extended beyond the area comprised Figure 22 to 28 illustrate seven successive n e steps in the production of a locked or tied knitted In one particular construction the instrument stitch by the employment of t needle shown i comprises a needle, the shank'or stem of which Figures 7 and (assuming the needle to be disposed vertically The needle shown in Figs 1 and 2 will now 30 with its stitch-forming end uppermost) has its be described in detail. 30

' upper end turned downwards to form a hook or The shank or stem 1 of the needle (which in crook the tail of which is bent towards the shank the customary manner is adapted t be recinm. n upwards to form Ql 1001?- free cated in a needle bed trick, or is carried by a extremity said Projecting laterally from needle bar) is bent over at one end (e. g. its upper 3501' heyqnd the Pmvide an element end) to form amain hook or crook 2. The metal receiving and u i thread mm the during of the hook may be-of comparatively small cross stitch formation. Preferably, thelength of said section or gradually tapering cross section loop is substantially smaller than the length of summg' the needle to be vertical, the the downward turned hook say for example tends down from thetop bend or bight 3 for a- 40 proximately half'the length and the said loop'at suitable distance and is then bent inwardly tosome point or part either in its upward turned wards the shank and upwardly to form a portion or in the lower bend thereof may bear 0nd hook The second hook may be straight. resiliently upon or be disposed closely adjacent curved or twistedand disposed ih'appmxlmately to thehshank of the instrument ind/M mac: the same plane as the first ormain hook I or in with or be normally partially accommodated a plane or within planes substantially parallel 5 gg g g gfi i gi'fi or slot i said shank or therewith, the backwardly or upwardly turned In a modified construction I the needle is propart of said second 9 being inclined outwam' vided with a hook or heard which has its free from the shank to g i g wz g end or tail portion turned back towards the shank Pending portion of the ma an mm 50 to form ,a comparativelyvsmall subsidiary hook, mmplete 100D; Said upturned part of the loop both hooks being normally open, In t needle, 4 being preferably maintained laterally spaced the main hook is. adapted to be closed by pressfrom the p n port n i 11001!- ing the subsidiary hook on to the needle stem and the free end or tail 5 Q! the 1001) being be 56; or shank, and when so closed the main and aubor slightly cranked round the main hook on -to the front or outer side thereof without bearing thereon. At the position where the free end 5 of the loop 4 intersects the downwardly depending part of the main, hook 2, saidlast-named part is with advantage curved inwardly towards the needle shank as at 6, so that looking at the needle sideways (Fig.- 1) an approximately V- shaped recess or space I is provided between the loop tail and the outer face of the depending portion of the main hook, which recess or space is adapted to have thread fed into it during stitch formation. Conveniently also the termination of the tail 5 is shaped to extend vertically or substantially vertically approximately parallel with the adjacent portion of the main hook. It is also desirable that the distance from the tip of the loop tail 5 to the back face of the needle shank l is not greater than the full width of the main hook at the top bend 3.

The metal of the combined hook and loop (hereinafter called the helix) is rendered springy, and the helix loop 4 may be caused to bear resiliently on theneedle shank. Advantageously that part of the needle with which the helix loop coacts is recessed or slotted, as at 8,'part of v said loop 4 being normally accommodated within the recess or slot with the object of enabling a cleared stitch loop to pass up over the helix withour entering the hook 2.

The particular formation of the helix may, however, be varied without departing from the scope of the invention. I

One method of making a plain knitted stitch on an instrument as above will now be described with reference to Figs. 3 to 8. Assuming that a previously formed stitch loop a is already on the needle. said old stitch loop is cleared below the helix by an upward movement or projection of the needle, and during said upward movement new thread I) is fed into the recess 1 between the projecting end 5 of the helix loop 4 and the outer face of the depending portion of the main hook I and caused to enter said helix loop 4 after which a downward movement or retraction of the needle causes said new thread to pass round said loop and up into the hook 2 of the helix, the new thread loop being twisted during this process. The downward movement of the needle also causes the old stitch loop a to pass over the helix and new thread loop therein and to be cast oil or knocked overtheneedle. The new twisted stitch loop b thus formed is retained in the hook 2 of the helix and by subsequent operation of the needle to form another stitch is cleared down the shank at the back or inner side of the helix loop 4.

By varying and/or extending the sequence of operation stitches other than plain normal stitches may be produced, such for example as tuck stitches and locked stitches. The instrument before described is also capable of making a locked or tied stitch the non-ladder or nonrunning quality of which is considerably enhanced as compared with stitches previously known or proposed. This is in the main due to the fact that a thread loop in negotiating the helical or double-hook portion of the needle has imparted thereto a twist as" aforesaid; consequently a stitch loop is embraced by a twisted locking loop, i. e. a closed or complete loop, the grip of which on the stitch progressively increases as lateral stretch is applied to fabric.

One method of making a lockedor tied stitch by the use of theaioresaid instrument will now be described with reference to Figs. 9 to 16. An already formed stitch loop to be locked is cleared on to the needle shank below the helix and locking thread d is fed into the v-shaped recess 1 (Fig. 9) between the projecting end of the helix loop 4 and the outer face of the main hook 2, upward movement of the needle causing said locking thread to pass down into the helix loop (Fig. 10) The needle is now moved down or retracted and causes the locking thread (1 to pass round the bight of the loop 4 and up into the main hook 2, the locking thread loop being twisted during this movement. During the downward movement of the needle the old stitch loop 0 is passed up over the helix but not cast off (Fig. 11), and subsequent upward movement of the needle causes said old loop to be drawn down into the hooked end or bight of the loop 4 (Fig. 12) from which it is suspended, and the locking thread loop is traversed down the needle shank to a position immediately below the helix and is thereby threaded through the old stitch loop 0 (Fig. 13). The needle is then again retracted or drawn down and the locking thread loop passes up over the outside of the helix (Figs. 14 and 15) and is knocked over or cast off around the old stitch loop 0 which is still retained in the needle hook 2 (Fig. 16).

The modified construction of needle shown in Figs. 17 and 18 will now be described. Here the needle shank I has a hook 2 with spring beard 9 which terminates in a second comparatively small hook l0 formed by bending the tail end of the beard 9 inwardly towards the shank and backwardly. The shank i is slotted or recessed at H, said slot being preferably formed in a thickened part of the shank and being adapted to accommodate the small hook II) when the beard 9 is pressed. In this way a main hook 2 and a subsidiary hook it are provided, the bends or bights of the two hooks being opposed, and in the normal condition the smaller hook I ii is spaced from the inner face of the slotted shank I. Conveniently the beard 9 is slightly cranked or curved so that its lower part I2 (the free end) inclines towards the shank. The small hook in is of substantially U-shape and the upturned tail portion I3 of said hook preferably inclines outwardly from the shank, parallel or substantially parallel with the inclined end part I2 of the beard 9.

In making an ordinary knitted stitch by the use of this modified construction of needle (see Figs. 19 to 21) an old stitch loop a is cleared on to the shank I below the double hook or beard by raising or projecting the needle in the usual way and new thread b is fed beneath the beard 9 (Fig. 19) and passed up into the main hook 2 by downward movement or retraction of the needle, and during this movement the beard 9 is pressed so as to bury the small hook in in the slotted shank, and the old stitch loop a. is passed up over said beard (Fig. 20) and cast of! or knocked over in the customary manner (Fig. 21).

A method of making a locked or tied stitch by the use of this modified construction of needle will now be described with reference to Figs. 22 to 28. Assuming the old stitch loop c is already on the needle shank l' and cleared well below the beard 9, locking thread d is fed across the needle shank below the beard (Fig. 22) above said old loop 0 and the needle is retracted or 7 2,072,209 beard to a position above the tail I 3 of thesmall old loop to pass down into said small hook,

(Fig. 24) The upward movement of the needle is now continued, and before the locking thread loop d reaches the tail I3 of the small hook l0 pressure is released from the heard 9 which thereby opens and the old loop 0 is pulled down into the bight of the subsidiary hook I0 and the locking thread loop at passes down between the tail l3 of said hook and shank I (Fig. 25) until said locking loop becomes threaded through the old loop 0 suspended in the subsidiary hook Ill. The beard 9 is then again pressed to bury the hook l0 (Fig, 26) and the needle moved down so as to cause the locking loop d to pass over on to the outside ,of the needle beard (Fig. 27) after which the pressure on the heard is released and continued downward movement of the nee: dle causes the locking loop-to be cast off over and around the old loop 0 which is still retained on the needle (Fig. 28). It is to be understood that the resistance to closing of the needle beard is sumciently strong to prevent same being closed by the action thereon of the thread loops. If,

30 however, the tension 'on the loop 0 when in the small hook I0 is sufficlent to pull the tail end of the beard 9 towards the needle shank, the outwardly diverging or inclined tail portion l3 of the small hook l0 permits of the locking loop 11 passing down between said tail l3 and the shank.

It will be appreciated that whereas by the use of the needle shown in Figs. 1 and 2 twisted thread loops are formed, the loops formed by the use of the needles shown in Figs. 17 and 18 40 are not twisted but are maintained as open loops.

It will also be appreciated that in using a needle in accordance with this invention said needle may be stationary and the stitch thread and/or the work may be caused by suitable means to 45 move on said needle.

The needle hereinbefore described, and in particular the needleillustrated in Figs. 1'7 and 18, is especially applicable for, use in a. fiat or straight bar knitting machine such as the well known 50 Cottons machine. Sinkers or equivalent instruments may be employed for controlling the thread loops in their movements relatively to the needle. I claim:--

1. A method of knitting with a needle having a shank and a spring beard which is extended and turned inwardly towards the shank to form a subsidiaryhook which is shaped as a complete loop, characterized by the following-sequence of 60 operations, namely, clearing an already formed stitch loop on to the needle shank below the double hook, feeding new thread into the looped extension of the main; hook, passing said thread around'said looped extension and back into the bend or bight of the'niain hook and thereby forming a twisted loop of said new thread, and passing the oldthread loop along the needle over the double hook and casting sameofi over said new loop.

. 2. A method of knitting with a needle liaving a shank and a spring beard which is extended and turned inwardly towards the shank to form a subsidiary hook whichis. shaped as a complete loop, characterized by the following sequence of 75 operations namely, clearing an already formed stitch loop on to the needle shank below the double hook, feeding new thread into the looped extension of the main hook, passing said thread around said looped extension and back into the bend or bight of the main hook and thereby forming a twisted loop of said new thread, passing the old loop along the needle on to the main hook and back into the looped extension of said hook, passing the loop of new thread down the needle shank out of the double hook so as to cause same to project through the old loop suspended from the looped extension of the hook,

passing said old loop round said looped extension and up into the bend of the main hook, thereby forming a twist in the thread loop, and finally casting all the new loop over said old loop.

3. A method of knitting with a needle having a, shank and a spring beard which is extended and turned inwardly towards the shank to form a subsidiary hook, characterized by the [following sequence of operations, namely, clearing an already made stitch loop on to the needle shank below the double hook, feeding new thread in between the ing said new thread to the closed end of the main hook, passing the old loop into said mainhook,

,passing the old loop back over said tail into the subsidiary hook, passing the new thread back down the shank between said tail and shank so as to thread a loop of said new thread through the old loop, and finally passing said new loop over the main hook and casting same oil the needle over or around said old loop which is retained in the hook.

5. A method of knitting with a needle having a shank and a spring beard which is extended and turned inwardly towards the shank to form a subsidiary hook, characterized by the following sequence of operations, namely, clearing an existing stitch loop on the needle below the double hook, feeding new thread into the main hook and passing same up into the bend or bight thereof, Passing the old loop up into the main hook below the loop of new thread, maintaining the old and new loops separate, pressing the main hook, passing the old loop into the subsidiary hook, releasing the pressure on the main hook, passing the new thread loop down between the tail of the subsidiary hook and the needle shank and threading the new thread loop through the old loop,

and finally again pressing the main hook and casting oil or knocking over the new thread loop around the old loop needle.

6. -A knitting needle comprising a stem or shank terminating in a spring beard which is extended and turned inwardly towards the shank to form which is retained in the a subsidiary hook, said shank having a slot or shank having a spring beard or hook extended to form a second or subsidiary hook which is shaped as a complete loop and over which heard with terminal loop a thread loop can be passed from the needle stem in the formation of a knitted stitch.

8. A knitting needle according to claim 7, wherein the subsidiary hook oi the beard comprises a complete loop having its free end projecting beyond the area comprised by said loop and said projecting free end of the loop consti- {antes a means for guiding ied thread into said 9. A knitting needle according to claim '7, wherein the subsidiary hook oi the beard comprises a complete loop and said loop coacts with a slot, groove or recess in the needle shank.

10. A knitting needle comprising a stem or shank having a spring beard or hook which is extended and turned inwardly towards the stem to form a subsidiary hook and over which heard with subsidiary hook a loop can he slid from the needle shank in the formation of a knitted stitch, the beard being shaped as a helix.

11. A knitting needle comprising a stem or shank terminating in a spring beard which is extended and turned inwardly towards the shank to form a subsidiary hook and over which heard with subsidiary hook a thread loop can he slid from the needle shank in the formation of a knitted stitch, the subsidiary hook or part being adapted to be received in a recess or slot formed in a bulging or widened portion or the needle shank.

THOMAS HENRY JONES. 

